Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Defence the degree to which the Defence Forces are equipped to deal with a terrorist attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24527/04]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Síochána has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. It continuously monitors the potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism in co-operation with the Defence Forces. The advice available to me at this time is that, while the Garda authorities recognise that the terrorist threat to Europe may currently be high, in relation to Ireland it is low. Notwithstanding this, it is important that all prudent precautions are taken and that matters are kept under continuous review.

The Defence Forces make contingency plans for a range of scenarios where the security of the State may be at risk. In addition, the Defence Forces have contingency plans in place in relation to the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána and the provision of assistance to the civil authorities for a range of emergencies.

The capacity of the Defence Forces to deal with major emergencies is kept under constant review. Plans and procedures are updated as necessary and such additional equipment as is required to address any perceived deficiencies is acquired on the basis of identified priorities. Training and preparation for such events is also provided for in the Defence Forces annual training plan.

The Defence Forces have available to them equipment for monitoring and protecting its members in dealing with nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) threats identified from time to time. The requirement for additional NBC equipment is kept under continuous review by the director of operations and the director of ordnance. A programme for the purchase of NBC equipment is ongoing and whatever equipment deemed necessary is purchased expeditiously to meet the changing requirements.

The Defence Forces hold an extensive range of modern NBC equipment that meets their current requirements. In particular, a total of 8,000 new NBC suits have been acquired. In addition, the Defence Forces has sufficient stock of respirators for each individual soldier. They also have 98 of the most technologically up to date chemical agent monitors and Defence Forces personnel are being trained on their operation. Other equipment on hands includes biological agent detector and screening kits, group decontamination equipment and personal decontamination equipment.

The most important defence against any attack is of course external vigilance, detection and prevention by the security forces. All the necessary resources of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces are deployed to this end.